Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome
Italy
San Giovanni in Laterano is a heavily
restored and remodeled 4th century basilica which is the cathedral
of the diocese of Rome, having its address us Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano
in the rione Monti.
Giovanni in Laterano was for Vasi a
view over very modern buildings, or to be more precise over very recently modernized
buildings, because the new façades of the basilica and of the adjoining palace
were completed in 1735. It is interesting to note that the road which
surrounded them was not paved.
A large modern esplanade a gathering point for political rallies allows a good view of
the two buildings, which have not been modified since Vasi's time. The etching
shows the tip of the obelisk in front of the lateral façade of
S. Giovanni, which however cannot be seen from the esplanade.
After Pope V (1585-90) had
redesigned the lateral façade of S. Giovanni in Laterano, many popes considered
replacing the old main façade with a new one, but only in 1732 Pope Clement XII took
steps to provide the ancient basilica with an appropriate entrance. During the
19th century the façade was regarded as an anticipation of
Neoclassicism and it was highly praised. As a matter of fact Galilei combined
elements of the Roman baroque tradition, but he placed them in a very neat
frame, which gives the façade a classical appearance. The façade is crowned by fifteen gigantic statues.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is
not the only point of interest, rather the Appio Latino area has many places of
attraction both landscape level, both in socio-historical level since the era
of Ancient Rome.
Many are the areas and artifacts of this era, beginning from the
two ancient Roman roads: the Via Latina and Via Appia, along which are clearly
visible even today the patrician villas, the underground cisterns, the
Massenzio complex, the catacombs and the defensive structures such as the
Aurelian Walls.
The church was re-built many times
because of natural disasters, and its final
renovation and façade are work of architect Alessandro
Galilei, and were finished in 1734. In the entrance you find the original
ancient statue of emperor Constantin, found in the imperial termhae near of the
Quirinal hill.
The
coffered ceiling, gilded with real gold, is together with St.
Mary Major's the most amazing of all Italian churches. It is said that the
first gold which arrived from the newfound Americas were used for the roof. It
is the work of pupils of Michelangelo, and it was finished in 1562 AD. The
wonderful mosaic shows
Jesus in the forefront, while the apostles are in the foreground. Many popes
are buried in the basilica.
A
History of Western Architecture, 4th edition By David Watkin.
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